Ariens/AS-Motor among the top 3 in the 2026 specialist dealer comparison
Ariens/AS-Motor has secured a Top 3 ranking in all evaluated product categories in the latest „markt intern“ Performance Mirror for Motorised Equipment/Garden Tools 2026. The strongest individual result is the joint assessment for product quality, achieving 2nd place.
The Performance Mirror does not evaluate individual machines. Instead, it is based on the experiences of German specialist motorised equipment dealers with manufacturers and suppliers. Dealers support products beyond consultation, demonstration, and sales, extending into service, spare parts supply, and long-term customer care.
For AriensCo EMEAA, this perspective is particularly relevant. Ariens and AS-Motor rely on specialist dealers in Germany as the central sales and service channel. For products that thrive on application, consultation, and practical demonstration, this feedback provides an important benchmark.
Product quality: from rank 6 to rank 2
In terms of product quality, Ariens/AS-Motor shows a significant improvement compared to the 2024 performance level. The joint ranking rises from 6th to 2nd place. The grade also improves from 1.77 to 1.52.
For Ariens, product quality is proven on the ground. A zero-turn mower must not only deliver a clean cut. It must also allow precise manoeuvring around trees, flower beds, paths and other obstacles without the operator constantly having to reverse or restart.
This is where the practical difference from conventional mowing concepts becomes clear. On large or complex lawn areas, time is not only lost on straight runs but also when turning, manoeuvring and reworking edges. The independently controlled drive wheels of a zero-turn mower enable tight turns and a more direct workflow.
For private users with large properties, this means fewer unnecessary passes. For professional users, service providers and municipalities, it translates into productive working time.
Ariens & AS-Motor: two brands for different mowing tasks
In 2026, Ariens/AS-Motor also ranks among the top three providers for product range policy. Compared to 2024, the ranking improves from 6th to 3rd place.
The joint portfolio reflects two clearly distinct product worlds within AriensCo EMEAA.
Ariens focuses in Europe on zero-turn mowers for large lawn areas. Depending on the model and application, the range covers everything from demanding private use to professional lawn care. Agility, cutting quality, driving comfort and a clean workflow around obstacles are the key priorities.
The sister brand AS-Motor covers a different area of green space maintenance: tall grass, steep slopes, embankments and difficult terrain. This is where all-mowers, flail mowers, ride-on mowers and remote-controlled machines come into play.
Under the AriensCo EMEAA umbrella, this does not result in a range that attempts to offer one machine for every area. Well-maintained lawns and knee-high vegetation present entirely different requirements. The same applies to a private park, a municipal green strip or a steep embankment.
For specialist dealers, this clear division creates the opportunity to cover different mowing tasks with specialised solutions from a single brand family.
New technologies: from rank 9 to rank 3
The biggest improvement in ranking is achieved by Ariens/AS-Motor in the category “Expertise in New Technologies”. Moving from 9th place in the 2024 performance ranking to 3rd place in 2026. At the same time, the rating improves from 2.48 to 2.32.
Since 2024, Ariens has continued to expand its European zero-turn portfolio. This includes, among others, the ARIENS IKON and the SUMMIT PRO.
Both series cater to different requirements within zero-turn lawn care. While the IKON embodies the zero-turn approach for demanding private users and large properties, the SUMMIT PRO is aimed more at users for whom regular operating times, area performance, and professional demands play a greater role.
Technological development at Ariens does not occur in isolation from practical application. The key focus is on what changes during a complete mowing operation: How easily can the machine be manoeuvred around obstacles? How well does the operator’s seat support longer working sessions? How cleanly can an area be processed row by row?
Meanwhile, AS-Motor has also seen significant progress. Since the last performance overview, additions include the E-Sherpa, the AS 1000 Ovis EVO, and the AS 990 Tahr RC X-ACT Track. With the announced AS-Motor equipment featuring the STIHL Powerhead and STIHL AP-System, another step in professional battery-powered applications will follow from 2027.
The joint improvement in the “New Technologies” category therefore does not refer to a single product, but to multiple development directions within AriensCo EMEAA.
Top 3 in the overall "Product" category
From product quality, range policy, and expertise in new technologies, “markt intern” forms the overarching category “Product”. Ariens/AS-Motor improves here from 6th place in 2024 to 3rd place in the current performance ranking. The joint rating rises from 2.11 to 1.98.
This result becomes particularly interesting when compared to the overall market. Dealers rated the manufacturers considered in 2026 more critically than two years earlier. The average score for the “Product” category deteriorated from 2.27 to 2.63.
In the same period, Ariens/AS-Motor developed in the opposite direction: improved ratings, moving up three places.
This is not just about a top-3 ranking. The result shows that the trade also positively assesses Ariens/AS-Motor’s development in product quality, range, and technology, even in a more demanding evaluation environment.
What makes a good product for the professional trade
For a dealer, product quality does not end at the cutting deck.
A zero-turn mower must suit the customer, the area, and the intended use. This is precisely why dealers play a crucial role at Ariens. They can explain different models, demonstrate a machine on-site, and show where a zero-turn mower truly outperforms a classic ride-on mower or lawn tractor.
Then there are the topics that become relevant after purchase: maintenance, spare parts, points of contact, and service.
This connection between product and trade is a key part of AriensCo’s strategy in EMEAA. A machine is not considered in isolation. What matters is whether it can be effectively advised, sold, and supported long-term within the dealer network.
Partnership with specialist dealers
The progress since 2024 confirms that we are on the right track with Ariens & AS-Motor. I am particularly pleased that our German trade partners recognise these advances in product quality, range and new technologies. This result is above all a testament to the efforts of our entire EMEAA team and, at the same time, a motivation to continue improving.
I would like to thank our trade partners for this strong performance and for their trust. Their feedback validates our approach: market-oriented products, high availability and a collaborative partnership with the specialist trade. We will continue to pursue this path consistently, with AS-Motor in professional rough-cut mowing technology and with Ariens in zero-turn mowers for lawn care.
For Ariens, practical demonstrations remain a key part of sales. Zero-Turn mowers can be explained, but the difference becomes clearer out on the lawn: start, turn, navigate around obstacles, and immediately pick up the next pass.
From dealer feedback to personal exchange at GaLaBau 2026
The performance benchmark reflects the specialist trade’s experience with products and manufacturers. At GaLaBau 2026 in Nuremberg, the focus turns to the future.
From 15 to 18 September 2026, Ariens and its sister brand AS-Motor will jointly present themselves in Hall 9, Stand 9-408.
Ariens focuses on zero-turn lawn care and machinery for large areas. Trade visitors can view current models and new products on site, discuss questions with the team, and explore for which areas and application profiles zero-turn technology is the ideal solution.
AS-Motor complements the joint trade fair presence with special machines for steep slopes, tall grass, and difficult terrain. This allows AriensCo EMEAA to showcase two very different aspects of green space maintenance at one stand: precise lawn care with zero-turn technology and specialised mowing solutions for areas where conventional lawn mowers reach their limits.
GaLaBau offers more than just a look at machinery. Dealers, service providers, municipal users and other professional visitors can ask critical questions, discuss current requirements and arrange demonstrations, when a machine needs to be tested under real-world conditions.
Christian Kahlert:
“At GaLaBau, we look forward to presenting our latest innovations and discussing the next joint steps with our partners.”
GaLaBau 2026
15.09.2026 to 18.09.2026
Nuremberg
Hall 9 | Stand 9-408
Source: markt intern, Leistungsspiegel Motoristik/Gartengeräte 2026, Ausgabe EWG 33/26.
